Oita International Charity Bike Ride 2007/Directions
These are the directions for the 2007 ride. If this route would were to be used again, the distances should be checked - especially for Day 3. Day 1 – Beppu to Kunimi (85.6km) Beppu to Hiji (11.5km) 1 to 2 “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” – Lao-tzu Let’s go! Exit the park from the north gate and turn right. Follow the road down to the bottom to the junction with the 10. Turn left onto the 10, crossing over as soon as possible to the far pavement which is better for cycling. Follow the 10 continuously north for 9.8km. The road slowly bends to the right, finally leaving Beppu and heading into Hiji. You will see a Poplar convenience store on the right hand side of the road. Turn right at the convenience store and follow the road down to the coastline. Hiji Sea Wall (3.5km) 2 to 3 – MAP A “The depressing thing about tennis is that no matter how good I get, I'll never be as good as a wall.” – Mitch Hedberg You will emerge onto the cycle path hugging Hiji’s sea wall. Follow this path right along the coastline as far as you can until you come to small harbour area. Go through the harbour and turn right onto a small road going slightly uphill behind some houses. Where the road ends at a T-junction, turn right, pass a temple on your left and go straight ahead at the three-way junction to join the 520/643. The 643 (15.3km) 3 to 4 – MAP A “We find no real satisfaction or happiness in life without obstacles to conquer and goals to achieve.” – Maxwell Maltz Follow the 643 for 1km. At the second traffic lights turn left, and go under a brown railway bridge. Follow this narrow road along a small river for 1.4km. Cross the river on a small bridge, take a left where the road splits, cross the railway line, before turning left at the stop sign to rejoin the 643. Take the 643 for 5.0km. After a flat, straight section and a short climb the road turns sharply left in front of a temple with a big blue sign. Turn right here and follow the road down to the coastline again. Follow this small coastal road for 3.4km, passing a Canon factory until you reach a small hamlet where the road ends. Turn left where the blue sign indicates the 213. Follow this road for 1.6km before turning right and rejoining the 643 at a ぜネラル gas station. Follow the 643 for another 2.9km until it ends at the junction with the 213. Turn right onto the 213. Kitsuki to the cycle path (6.9km) 4 to 5 “There’s always a way. Where there’s a will there is a way. You have to believe.” – Britney Spears Cross the bridge in front of a Kitsuki castle and continue along the 213 for 6.9km, leaving Kitsuki behind and heading out towards the airport. You will see a Daily Yamazaki convenience store followed by some traffic lights which mark the start of the Kunisaki Hanto Cycling Road. Turn right just after the lights and join the cycling road. Kunisaki Hanto Cycling Road (35.4km) 5 to 6 “虎穴に入らずんば虎子を得ず。Koketsu ni irazunba koji o ezu.” – Japanese proverb Cross a small bridge and go under a tori gate to join the cycle path. You will follow this for the next 35km. The cycle path runs adjacent to the 213 and the coastline all the way north, leaving and rejoining at regular intervals. If you miss a turning, don’t worry – just follow either the 213 or the coastline until you come across it again. The path is marked either with traditional blue, circular pedestrian/cycle signs or silver signposts which you ride underneath. Sometimes it is outlined with white lines or with anti-motorcycle metal hoops, although sometimes not. As you enter Kunisaki, you will see a Sony factory on the right hand side of the 213. Turn right here onto the Mini Kunisaki Cycling Course ミニ国東サイクリングコース. This short path will take you along the coastline right into Kunisaki. Turn left at its end to rejoin the 213. Note that the Kunisaki Cycling Terminal is now behind you. About 6km north of Kunisaki you will be spat out onto the 213 again. The 213 to Kunimi Youth Hostel (13km) 6 to 7 “If you are going through hell, keep going.” – Winston Churchill Follow the 213 north for about 13km, riding on the pavement as much as possible. This road can be quite busy so be careful of traffic. The road goes through a series of numbered tunnels, some without good pavements. After tunnel 9, turn first right and follow the road up the hill to the youth hostel. Otsukare sama! Observation questions: 1) What colour hat is the Buddha statue wearing? 2) What animals adorn Kitsuki castle? 3) How many windows do Oita air traffic controllers peer out from? Today’s schedule 9.00 am – Depart from Beppu Koen 6.30 pm – Dinner at Kunimi Youth Hostel Day 2 – Kunimi to Yabakei (81.5km) Kunimi to the Farmer’s Road (6.5km) 7 to 8 – MAP B “This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But, perhaps, the end of the beginning.” – Winston Churchill Come down from the youth hostel and turn right onto the 213. Take the next left onto a small back road. Follow this windy flat road for about 1.5km, staying left when given a choice and avoiding the 213. The road ends at a stop sign in front of the School Lunch Centre. Turn right and at the traffic lights go straight over into the tunnel immediately ahead. Exit the tunnel, stay to the left and continue along the road which skirts the 213. After another very short tunnel, bear left to stay on this smaller road, away from the 213. At the junction with a postbox turn right. Cycle 200m to a cliff face with an interesting cave. Turn right here, pass a temple and turn immediately left to follow the road along the temple wall. Keep following this small back road, pass a graveyard on the left, cross a small bridge, turn right and follow the road up. You should emerge on the 213 just beyond an Eneos petrol station. The Farmer’s Road (22.8km) 8 to 9 “It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves.” - Sir Edmund Hillary Turn left onto the 213, go up 200m and turn left before the tunnel. Follow this road up and go through a long, narrow tunnel. As you exit the tunnel, turn immediately left onto a wide road. This road is known as the West Kunisaki Region Farmer’s Road 西国東広域農道, although bonus points if you spot a farmer. Over the next 20km or so it will take you all the way to Bungotakada. This is where the hills begin. After each downhill you’ll come to a crossroads. Just keep going straight ahead, following signs for Bungotakada (if any) at each one. Hill 1 – Gentle gradual uphill and downhill to a signed crossroads. Hill 2 – Long uphill climb with a tunnel at the top. A curvy downhill to an unmarked crossroads. Hill 3 – Similar uphill climb followed by a long, straight downhill to an unmarked crossroads. Hill 4 – Uphill climb, pass a vending machine and then the landscape opens out to the left where you can see a flat-topped mountain. Hill 5 – A mere pimple compared to those just conquered! Come down to the traffic lights and continue straight ahead as always. Hill 6 – Uphill climb, into a tunnel at the top, followed by a long, gentle downhill where the road bends to the right in the valley. Hill 7 – Another small hill followed by a mercifully long, straight section. After this the road flattens out a bit as it winds its way past some quarries and factory buildings before coming down to the traffic lights at the junction with the 24. Bypassing Bungotakada (6.3 km) 9 to 10 – MAP C “継続こそ力なり。Keizoku koso chikara nari.” – Japanese Proverb Go straight ahead at the lights and after 700m you’ll come to an unmarked crossroads at the entrance to Oita Hokubu Industrial Park. Turn right here onto the 641 and follow the road for about 500m to some more traffic lights. Turn left just before the traffic lights onto a small road atop a river embankment. Follow the river for about 1km, turn left and cross the river at the first bridge you come to, then turn right onto the 34. Continue about 500m and turn left onto a wideish road just before the top of the crest. Follow this road for 3.2km until you come to the Lawsons on the 213. Through Usa (10.9km) 10 to 11 – MAP D “The best way out is always through.” – Robert Frost Unfortunately we have to go along busy main roads to get through Usa. The pavement is not great so be careful. Turn left onto the 213. Follow the 213 for 2.1km until the junction with the 10. Turn right onto the 10, heading toward Usa. Continue for 6.8km on the 10, passing Usa shrine on your left. Stop for a break if you fancy it. When you see Trial on the right hand side, you should see a Yamazaki conbini on the left. Take the small road to the left that runs in front of the Yamazaki (i.e. don’t continue on the 10). Follow this narrow back street for 1km. At the end turn left at the lights onto the 44. Usa to the Aonodomon (21.7km) 11 to 12 “It isn't the mountain ahead that wears you out - it's the grain of sand in your shoe.” – Robert Service As soon as you turn onto the 44 you must turn right at the next lights to stay on the 44. Pass under the express way (the 10) and cycle a further 3.0km, passing some reservoirs on the left. You will come to a 4-way junction with traffic lights. Turn right here and go for only 500m before turning left onto the narrow 660 which is signed. Follow the 660 for 3.2km until you are forced to rejoin the 44. Follow the 44 for 12.9km. The road narrows into a single lane and then starts to climb for the last hill of the day (I promise!). After the downhill and a long flat section you eventually come to the junction with the 212. Turn left onto the cycle path, using the small bike tunnel to get to the far side. Aonodomon to Yabakei Cycling Terminal (13.3km) 12 to 13 “There is no wealth like knowledge, and no poverty like ignorance.” – Buddha Follow the 213 for a short 400m and turn left at the first traffic lights. Feeling tired yet? Well, you should count yourself lucky! This small road will take you through the Aonodomon, a tunnel dug by the Buddhist monk Zenkai with only a hammer and chisel over a period of 30 years. After seeing a pilgrim fall to their death on the river bank, he decided to dig a tunnel to make up for a murder he committed as a young man. Check out the little shrine dedicated to him off to the side of the tunnel. Come out of the tunnel, pass the restaurants and turn right at the first traffic lights. Cross the river and turn left at the lights and rejoin the cycle path (the Maple Yabakei Cycling Road メイプル耶馬サイクリングロード) on the far side. Follow the cycle path for a pleasant 11km right to the Yabakei Cycling Terminal. How are your thighs? Observation questions: 1) How many cave-dwelling stone Buddhas are wearing red capes? Today’s schedule: 7.00 am – Breakfast at Kunimi Youth Hostel 8.30am – Leave Kunimi Youth Hostel 7.30 pm – Enkai-style dinner at a restaurant near Yabakei Cycling Terminal Day 3 – Yabakei to Beppu (64.7km) actually about 90km! Yabakei Cycling Terminal to the 43 (8km) 13 to 14 “If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere.” – Frank A. Clark Follow the cycle path for about 8km until it passes underneath the 43. Go up the ramp and turn left onto the 43. If you turn right here you will find a Lawsons – the last conbini before Ajimu. Scenic Yabakei (9.4km) incorrect! 14 to 15 – MAP F “When you reach the top, keep climbing.” – Zen Proverb Follow the 43 for 9.5km as it winds gradually uphill. At the road works at the top of the climb go around them by the left-hand diversion. Come down the slope and at the bottom turn left onto the 702. After 3.7km on the 702 look out on the right for the Maple Farm Road メープルファームロード marked with a large, autumn coloured sign. Turn right onto this road and continue for 3.8km up some fairly steep and windy inclines. Watch out for one “landslide tunnel” where there is no footpath and the road is narrow. All around should be some lovely scenery of rocky outcrops covered in trees. Eventually you will come to a 4-way crossroads in front of a tunnel. Don’t take the wimp’s shortcut – instead turn left onto a narrow road which winds its way (slightly!) uphill before you can enjoy a nice, twisty downhill section with some nice views of the valley. Follow it all the way down to the junction with the 28 and turn right onto it. After 3.2km on the 28 turn left onto the 27. Watch out because the turn is not obvious - the blue sign indicates Innai 院内 but not the number 27. Immediately after the turn you should cross a small bridge and pass an onsen called もみじの湯 on your left. Onward to Ajimu (25km) 15 to 16 “Country roads, take me home, to the place I belong…” – John Denver Continue on the 27 for 5.7km to the crossroads with the 602 and go straight ahead. Cycle another 6.5km on the 27 and at the junction with the 667, turn right to stay on the 27. A final 4km stretch of the 27 will bring you to the junction with the 500/387. Turn left onto the 500/387 and go for only 400m before turning right onto a wide road that leads to the 50. Stay on this road for 3.3km. After an uphill, a downhill and a tunnel you will emerge at the junction with the 50. Turn left onto the 50 and head towards Ajimu. You will pass a Buddhist pagoda and some striking cliffs on your left. Once you reach Ajimu you’ll pass between two schools before the road bends to the left to join the 500. Proceed another 300 meters, past the Best Mart conbini and turn right at the traffic lights to join the 42. The 42, 24, the downhill and the final stretch (22.3km) 16 to 17 “We are very near the end, but have not and will not lose our good cheer.” – Sir Robert Falcon Scott Follow the 42 for 12.3km, passing under the expressway 3 times until the T-junction with the 24. Turn right onto the 24. Follow the 24 for 10km. You will pass through a major spaghetti junction with the expressway. Immediately after the expressway turn left at the lights to continue on the 24. The road becomes steep and windy but at least it’s all downhill! Be careful for cars exceeding the speed limit, and watch your own speed too! At the bottom the road goes through a long tunnel before emerging at the junction with the 10. Turn right, cross over the road to the far pavement and head back to Beppu Koen! Observation questions: 1) What colour hat is the stone Buddha in the cliff face wearing? 2) What makes for an unusual traffic lane divider on the 27? 3) How many tiers does the pagoda have? 4) What is clearly missing from the cliffs on the 50? 5) What is the manager’s name of the Best Mart conbini in Ajimu? Today’s Schedule: TBC Category:Events Category:Oita International Charity Bike Ride